Chapter 90: Ten Days Remaining
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 90: Ten Days Remaining
"Atonement?"
"Correct. Her Majesty has decided to take this opportunity to unify the Northern Continent, so the vast Land of Storms to the north requires scouts to investigate the situation."
With that, Thanatos turned to leave.
"Wait! What about the others? What happened to them?"
"The same as you. You've all been assigned to explore the Land of Storms together."
"What?"
Just as White Robe was reeling in confusion, a familiar voice rang out beside his ear.
"You bastard! What exactly has been going on? You'd better explain everything to me right now!"
"Elise? Wait, let me explain—"
"What more is there to excuse? If you don't make yourself clear, I'll use my staff to crack your skull open!"
*
"So, you've already finished consolidating the Northern Territory? That fast?"
Looking at the battle report Brandon handed over, Xie Bai was somewhat surprised.
In less than ten days, Thanatos had led the Unified Army to sweep across the vast Northern Territory, successfully bringing nearly eighty percent of the Northern Lords under their command.
Faced with Xie Bai’s praise, Brandon bowed slightly.
"This is all thanks to the efforts of Lord Thanatos and Lord Strife. I merely handled some trivial logistical work in the background."
Brandon pointed to the upper section of the map.
"Next, we can use Aisarakus's name to facilitate the incorporation of the central regions. From there, we can use that area as a springboard to achieve the unification of the Land of Storms. The environment there may be harsh, so we could ask the Witch of Wind for assistance."
Hearing Brandon's request, Xie Bai nodded.
"That works. Speaking of Aisarakus, I feel like I haven't seen her at all lately."
Brandon placed his hands behind his back.
"She is currently undergoing a refresher course in character education, so it is only natural that she won't be seen for a while."
Xie Bai nodded at the explanation.
"Fair enough. But I have a question—Aisarakus is a member of the Dragon Race who has lived for tens of millions of years, yet she truly seems like a child. I thought you were joking before."
"To answer that, we must first start with the origins of the Dragon Race."
Brandon straightened his collar.
"As a peak mythical race, the Dragon Race is born from the world itself and is highly bound to it. As long as the world is not destroyed, their lifespans are virtually infinite. Therefore, age holds little meaning to dragons; their maturity comes primarily from the accumulation of experience. Someone like Aisarakus, who has spent countless years cooped up in the center of the Northern Continent and has seen almost nothing of the world, is essentially the equivalent of a human child."
After hearing Brandon's explanation, Xie Bai felt that certain things finally made sense.
"In that case, I understand how she instinctively mastered skills like playing the victim and acting cute."
Xie Bai looked at Brandon.
"Have you handled the matters regarding the founding of the nation?"
Brandon replied calmly.
"Our unification of the Northern Territory has already sent a massive shock through the world. Those people know exactly how terrifying a united North—with its nearly one hundred Demigod lords—can be. Next, we intend to unify the entire Northern Continent. As far as other factions are concerned, they have no desire to see a second Aodu Empire rise."
Xie Bai pondered the issue Brandon raised.
"If being too powerful causes wariness, then we simply won't bother addressing that wariness. It just so happens that I have a good relationship with the Aodu Empire. With a simple notification, the Aodu Empire can establish diplomatic ties with us. At that point, it won't matter if others refuse to recognize us. Faced with a massive alliance spanning two continents, they won't have the courage to oppose us openly. As for the opportunities in the shadows, we can't let those go either. We can infiltrate agents of the Wheel of Fate into other regions, using this place as a base to provide support."
Brandon nodded after hearing Xie Bai's plan.
"Understood, my Lord. Once the arrangements for the Northern Lords are settled, we will formally announce the establishment of the Empire and plan the diplomatic proceedings with the Aodu Empire."
"Very well."
With the dust settled, Brandon raised one more question.
"By the way, my Lord, how do you wish to handle the Chaos Church that Mr. Thanatos reported?"
"That..."
Xie Bai thought for a moment.
Regarding those guys who spent every waking hour plotting the destruction of the world, Xie Bai didn't actually take them to heart.
"Leave them be for now. Lately, the Chaos Church hasn't had any opportunities to develop; they can't seem to get off the ground. For the growth of the Wheel of Fate, I think we still need a few antagonist organizations to serve as a foil."
"Understood, my Lord. If there is nothing else, I shall go check on Aisarakus."
With that, Brandon departed.
"Hmm... I wonder if Aisarakus is currently going through a rebellious phase?"
Setting aside the matter of the dragon, Xie Bai opened her game panel.
[Time until Game Closed Beta begins: 10d 18h 58min]
"The time is almost here. In a bit, I'll use Shadow Return to head back to Gamie's side."
Thinking of this, Xie Bai pulled out the Time Doll she had obtained from the ruins.
"I remember this thing can be adjusted to the image of any figure in history. I wonder if Aisarakus had a human form before? If she did, knowing her, it wouldn't be some tall, buff guy, would it...?"
As if sensing Xie Bai's thoughts, the doll in her hand automatically shifted its form.
Following a flash of white light, Xie Bai watched as the Time Doll transformed into a cartoonish...
Uh... soft and cute blue-haired dragon girl?
"Ahem..."
Xie Bai nearly choked at the sight.
"What's going on? Was Aisarakus always like this?"
The image of the doll in Xie Bai's hand was almost identical to the current Aisarakus. The only difference was that the clothing was more vintage than what she wore now.
"No wonder she was so practiced when she transformed before. But why did she choose this look back then...?"
Xie Bai shook her head.
"I hope it's not what I think it is..."
After resetting the Time Doll to its original state, Xie Bai stood up from her seat and stretched.
"Mm~ I haven't had a good workout lately. I've only cut down a few weak Chaos Demigods. It's about time I head into those timelines and test my blade against some True Gods."
Having decided on her next move, Xie Bai brushed through her long hair while browsing her panel.
Aside from the Necklace of Immunity to All Evils she had taken from Julius, Xie Bai was decked out in glittering Divine Artifacts.
While a Demigod could use a Divine Artifact, the number of Demigods who actually possessed one was minuscule. Even an average True God couldn't guarantee they would have a Divine Artifact to their name.
Divine Artifacts, possessing the quality of uniqueness, were in some ways more precious than True Gods.
A True God could be found in every timeline, but a Divine Artifact would not exist in every one. Most Divine Artifacts were hidden within the main timeline, while a small minority might be scattered across other spaces and times.
For instance, the Flowers Wither, Leaves Fall accessory on Xie Bai's head was something she had found in the independent space provided by Gamie.
"I wonder... is every True God originally unique? Is it only after the timelines split that their uniqueness is broken, requiring them to reintegrate the Godheads from the branch lines to forge that uniqueness once more? Just like a Demigod ascending to a True God?"
Thinking of this, Xie Bai suddenly realized a critical point.
"Wait, I remember Gamie saying that the Godheads of Void in all other timelines had been destroyed. Doesn't that mean the one I have now—this sole remaining piece—is the one and only Godhead of Void?"